Plant for and method of manufacturing cast iron pipe and the like



June 2, 1931. 1 R MCWANE 1,808,366

PLANT FOR AND METHOD 0F MANUFACTURING CAST IRON PIPE AND THE LIKE 2 sheets-sheet Filed Sept. 20, .1927

llll l| all |Ill 1 IFIFQIIIIIIII Irl 'Il' l I l lllllnlnvllllllwlllnw||||ll INVENTOR "If/1w ATTORNEYS June 2, 1931. J; MCWANE PLANT FOR AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING CAST IvRON PIPE AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 20. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 for the next days Work.

yPatented June 2, 1931 AUNITED srArEis JAM'ES: R. MICWANE, OTE*V BIRMINGHAM, ALABAIYA, ASSGNOR TO MoWANjE CAST IRON' PATENT ori-*ICE PIPE COMPANY, OFYBIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA, A COREORATON OF ALABAMA PLANT FOR AN D IJIETHOD OF MANUFACTURING CAST IRON PIPE-AND Til-IE LIKE Application filed September 20, 1927-. Serial No. 220,731.

` horizontal, stationary molds, t-lie sand handling and rammingare usually done by manual labor. rllhe Workmen make up for a days Work a given number of molds, which, when all are completed, are poured, that is, thev molten iron is conveyed in laddles from the cupola to the molds; Subsequently the molds are shaken out. The castings are removed from the sand, and the sand is lWet Y and subsequently cut'or tempered to be ready Such procedure does not result in a production commensurate with they size of the plant, because only portions of the plant are in productive use at a given time (large areas being necessary for storage), because the gangs of Workmen are not continuously busy on one job, and because the `production is not continuous.

ln recent years, foundry machinery and equipment have been developed Which make it possible to automatically accomplishmany of the things, in the manufacture of cast iron pipe, which heretofore havefbeen done by hand. The expense ofsuch installations iis large and to justify this expense iU is necessary to make the operation continuous Vand highly efficient in order to secure the largest possible tonnage production., in short, to mechanize and synchronize the operations. rlhis program of continuous op- `eration by mechanical means is extremely diliicult because .of the prob eii 0f co-ordina ing the different operations, Without loss of time and Wit-hout unnecessary labor or expenditure of power.

The purpose of this invention is to solve these problems by providing a Vcertain arrangement of machinery and equipment and by following a novel method of using the machinery in sequence to the utmostadvantage to insure the greatest possible production. The plant is so designed, arranged and used as to be particularly Well fitted for-two or three shifts in each 2e hour period, be-

cause each shift can take up the Work Where' the vprevious shift has left off, Without loss of time or efficiency or extra Work arising from the change in shifts.

The accompanying drawings of tWo sheetsy comprise tivo figures, Figsyl and la, together illustrating diagrammatically a plan view or layout of a plant embodying the invention and useful for carrying out the inventive process. Y Y

Referring particularly to the'Y drawings, the sheets of which should be held so that Fig. l, showing the cupola at thebottom, is to the left of Fig. l, there is shown a portion of a plant for 'the manufacture .of castiron pipe and the like, the apparatus illustrated being arranged for the continuous production of pipe of a-given size. The same kinds of apparatus and the same general arrangement thereof Will beV employed in the manufacture ofthe various sizes of pine, but it will be understood that certain of the equipment. including the copes and drags of the iasks, the patterns, theV core bars and the core knives of the coremaking machines, etc., Will all be removed, and the corresponding parts for the manufacture of larger or smaller pipes, as desired, will be substituted therefor.

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There is shown al complete rpipe making'v plant which is intended to produce pipe ofl a given size, it being` understood that this and are provided, respectively, for handling' and reconditioning the sand and: for separating the corev barsfrom the pipe,r'e

conditioning the core bars and' returning them for re-use, and conducting the pipe away for the finishing operations.

According to the invention, the three primary'element's Which make up the molds, namely, the flasks consisting of copes and drags, the cores andthe sand, are subjected'to soA *357, will be of a known type, being known as jolt a cycle of operations which effects, (1) the assembling of said elements in a zone with- (3) the pulling of the pipes with the corebars `from the drags; (4) the shaking out of the drags, their cooling and conveyance Vto a convenient point for re-use; and

- the simultaneous reconditioning of the. core bars and sand `for re-use in later assembling operations. t will be clear that the Various' operations may be conducted independently, by workmen or gangs of workmen who specialize in the performance of a few simple tasks, and who work continuously without interference with and from the other workmen. The result is that the plant is put in #full production, with all its equipmentmade use of to the fullest extent consistent with eiliciency.

` The main zone includes a station for ram-v ming the copes and drags, a' station for the making of the cores, a station for assembling the copes, drags and cores, and a casting and shake out station, and, as continuous produc- Y tion is desired, automatic ramming machines,

placed in the ramming Zone, are employed, the same being supplied with sand from service bins which are kept filled by a 1feeder belt, as indicated. The ramming machines rammers, and requirerno description. i Preferably, the ramming machines areat one end of the main zone, as shown, and preferably to one side of the bay and near the zone hav- `ing the sand handling equipment, leaving a clear space, as shown, for the handling and transporting ot copes and drags to and from the machines, without interference with any other work. A gang of workmen attends each ramming machine and rams either the copes or the drags on that one machine. The two machines operate continuously except for the time used `for setting and removing the mold parts, but in overlapping cycles, being served by an overhead traveling bridge crane (crane No. Y1)A or other carrier. Crane No. 1, on one trip, conveys an empty cope to the cope ramming machine and brings back a rammed drag taking it to the assembling zone, and on the succeeding trip, said crane takes an empty drag to the drag ramming machine and returns with a rammed cope and so on, thus never makingamove without accomplishing productive work. f

As fast as a rammed drag has been placed in the assembling zone (station No. 1) its core is brought up-by crane No. 2, and set in position on the drag. As disclosed in my Reissue Patent No. 17,121, the cores consist of core bars on which sand cores are formed,

L@me No. 1,765,023.

and which, when set, are supported rigidly so as to have a slight downward deflection in the middle, said deflection being counteracted by the inward i'low'of metal when the casting takes place. The Patent No. 1,779,477 of Ira Langston discloses a convenient instrument by w rich the amount of deflection of the cores may be measured at the time the cores are set. Vhen the proper core setting has been accomplished, a rammed cope is brought up by crane No. 1 and is lowered over the drag having the core set, and the mold par s are secured together by the usual locking devices. As crane No. 1 goes back,

vit picks up an empty cope from a pile of copes adjacent the assembling Zone, as shown, and carries it to the cope ramming machine, so that the latter is idle only for a brief period. Each time crane No; 1 brings up a rammed drag,.cores must be placed promptly before said crane hasrhad time to return with a rammed cope for that particulardrag. Ob|

viously, crane No. 1 cannot handle all the mold parts'without considerable idle traveling; hence, to crane No. 2 is assigned the task of bringing the cores from the core making station to the assemblingzone, and this is done by causing crane No. 2 to follow craneV No. 1v down the bay each time crane No. 1

`has brought up a rammed drag, to pick up a core ora plurality ot cores from the core making' station, and carry the core or cores to the drag awaiting it or them in the rassembling Zone.

As crane No. 1 brings up the drags and copes on alternate trips, it will be clear that crane No.2 follows crane No; 1 downthe bay only on alternate trips, and thereiimfe hasregular periods in which it is free vto do other work. Jaccording to the preierred procedure, crane No. 2 in such periods acts as a mold carrier, to move the cmnpleted molds up the bay tothe castingV` and shake-ont `zone (station No. 2). Obviously, conveyor operating near the fl j ot the plant maybe employed for moving the completed moldsup the bay to the casting zone. WVhen crane 2 is used to pick 11p-the con'iplete flasks or molds,it will do so preferably by means of a rig such as .For utmost eciency, the tcore making is done by machinery, and the machine is placed is claimed in my Patany suitable 4 between'the assembling zone and the nearestA ramming machine, but to one side-of the bay .so as to leave room for ,handling of the cores andnot interfere with the conveyance of the copes and drags to and from the ramming machines. The preferred form of core machine is described and claimed in my Patent No. 1,779,485, while theprelierred core bar supports are claimed in my Patent No. 1,765,020. As shown in said patent, the core machine is so built as to permit the passage of the core bars theretnrough, Without retrogressivel movement, which would cause loss of time. One side .of the mac.iine is therefore' open to receive the barecore bars from the delivery point ofthe bayin which the core bars are handled, while'the other side of the machine delivers the completed cores f; o al carrier (for example, the one described in my Patent No. 1,779,484), which may be picked up by crane No. 2 and conveyed to the assembling Zone to effect setting of several core bars at one time, if desired. Y

lt will now be clear that the sand handling and reconditioning zone and the core bar handling and reconditioning Zone are contributory to the main zone. The apparatus in the contributory zones feeds or delivers reconditioned sand and cores int-o the main rone at the places most conducive to efficient work and 1nigh production.

Whenever there are enough molds in the casting zone to take the contents of a ladle of molten iron, the hot metal from the cupola is carried to point where crane No. 3 may pick up the ladle (which may be of the type described in my Patent No, 1,535,675) and the metal is then poured. Depending on Vthe diameter of pipe beingcast, there will be one,

two, four, sin or more pipes formed in each mold during each casting operation. A typical plant for making` siXinch pipe will cast four of such pipes in each mold, each pire being sixteen feet long. As soon as crane No. 3 has completed the pouring, it returns the ladle to the car (not shown) which i'nns on the iot metal track and obtains a new supply of metalfron the cupola.

any delay.

When the pouring isended, crane No. 3

moves back over the nearest flask in which the metal was first poured, and upon releaseof j the locking` devices by an operator, lifts the cope olf and moves it to one side to the shake out machine. The cope has not had'time to get very hot, and hence undergoes no cooling other than radiation to the atmosphere. The shake out removes whatever sand clings to the cope, and a wall ciane, or the equivalent, takes the cleaned out cope and carries it nearly the length of the bay back to a storage point somewhere near the ramming Zone,

preferably to one side as shown and in the Y path of crane No. l. A pile of eopes may be built at this point, to savel floor space and' to provide a smalll reserve of this element of the equipment, so that there need never be The wall crane will return for another cope as soon as one has been set down', and so on until all the copes from the poured molds have been removed, shaken out and stacked. Of course, crane No. l is notidle,

but continues to travel between the stack of copes (and the adjacent stack of drags to be described) andthe ramming machines so that the stacks are being continually'depleted about as fast as they are formed, and never occupy so much space in the bay as to interferez in any way with the movements of the laborersor apparatus in the bay; n

Byk the time all the copes are=0lf,the pipes in the drags are sufhciently'hard to permit removal, which is done by crane No. 3, the pipes (with the cores therein) being placed onatransfer carriage, adjacent to the casting and shake-out Zone,so disposed as to move the pipes out of the main bay withk a minis,

ymum of handling and lost motion'. From'the transfer carriage, the pipes roll to a pipe run leading underneatha monorail hoist, which may carry the pipes (with the cores) down the bay to the point where the cores areremoved, as Will be described.

Obviously, when crane No. 3 is at the upper end of the main zone, the operator of crane No- 2 Vhas an opportunity ofV bringing upa new. mold. As-the molten metal is obtainedA from the upper end of the bay and the shakeout is also located there, crane No.l 3 will frequently be out of the way of crane No.v 2, the operator of which will move back and forth, keeping cores supplied to the assembling zone and completed molds supplied to the casting zone as fast as equipment and space are provided for them.

As soon as the pipes have been drawn, the

vdrags will be conveyed, one at a time, to the shake-out station. YWhenV cleaned of their sand, the drags will lbe carried by the wall crane to a cooling station, because the drags have been exposed to the heat of the molten iron much longer than the copes and hence have become quite hot. The cooling station is located along the path of the wall crane and may consist of a vat or tank containing wa- Vter in which the flasks are dipped. The cooled No. l set the cores and crane No. 3 transfer the completed moldsV from the assembling zone to the casting Zone.V rThe wall crane may also be dispensed with by dividing -tliework between the remaining cranes. Y

W hen the pipes with the core bars in them are placed on the transverse runway beneath the monorail hoist, above referred to, they are'picked up, preferably several at a time and carried inan endwise position down the bay nearly the length of the same to a pipe storage run (Fig. la) which may consist of two spacedy rails elevated above the floor, and preferably inclined torcause the los ileV

pipes to roll slowly along the bay Vwithout labor. The pipe storage run is preferably of sufficient capacity for the pi es andcore bars to cool oft' considerably. t should be the pipe carriage near the casting zone and without turning theni'carries the pipes pointing in the direction in which they travel, to econoniize space and prevent possible accidents in the adjacent Zones, and that it turns at thel point where the pipes are deposited to swine' the pipes around to the proper transverse position lon the storage runway,

without losingtime or additional labor for the swinging` operation.

Above the pipe storage run isa pipe transfer moiiorail, whose hoist isused for picking up the pipes with the core bars in them, pulling out the core barstat the bar pulling sta tion)` and laying them on the core bar run,

which is ad'acent the i e storage run and carrying the pipes to and laying them onone of the pipe runs leading to the pipe rattlers, which clean the pipes. Instead of a hoist, a core bar stripper may be used, as described and claimed in my Patent No. 1,7 65,022. Be-

cause of theleiio'th of time it takesto clean pipes, a number of rattlers may be needed, in order not to slow up production.V The core sand, which falls out of therpipes at the har pulling` station may be collected by a return sand belt (not shown) Vor other conveyor,lead ing to core sand reconditioning apparatus (not shown) which may continually supply the core machine with sand.

The core bars may either be rolled on their Arun manually, or may roll by gravity back During' toward the core making machine. their passage over the run, the core bars further cool, and may be handledby the time they reach' the cor-e machine. Before the core bars are placed on the run leading to thek be delayed. unduly by the-testing and straight` ening process. It will be understood that the core bars do. not usually need straightening, but should always be tested to insure the manufacture of pipe having uniform walls, and that if tests show that a number of successive core bars need straightening, passage of the untested core bars may be delayed for several minutes, which shouldbe avoided, as any delay would hold back the entire production. The provision, as shown, of a reserve supply of core bars on a run leading to the core machine but out of the way of the usual path of the core bars is therefore highly advantageous, though not absolutely necessary. noted that the monorail takes the'pipes from v age bins, aconditioner or aerator, and a conveyor leading from the conditioner to the raniming machines. Excess sand dumped during the ramming operation is returned to the storage bins by a clean-up belt, which may deliver the excess sand to the blender, as shown. The mold sand shaken-out at the shake out station is carried down the bay by a return sand belt, a magnetic pulley being employed to separate the particles of iron, and a screen for breaking up or separating any hard lumps. `From the screen, the cleaned sand is carried to a'pug mill, thence to the blender and vfinally to the storage bins.

F rom the foregoing' description, it will be clear that the sand, the core bars and the copes and drags each travel progressively in closed, continuous paths, without retrogression,A and each in its own path except where the paths merge to a common path in t-he assembling and casting bay. The fact that there is no retrogression is most important, because any retrogressive movement entails retracing the saine or an equivalent path, re-

flicting movements which would delay one or more phases of the operation. Furthermore, it will be observed that each element traverses a path of minimum length. The metal travels from the cupola no farther than is abso-l lutely necessary; the core bars `travel no farther vthan is necessary to get them out of the way of the following elements, and to recondition them and return them for the making and placing of new cores; the sand is carried with a minimum of equipment for a minimum distance and is reconditioned on its return; and the copes and drags are conveyed the shortest possible distance and along the straightest VVpracticable paths consistent with a plant of sulicient size to handle the output of two ramming machines. All thisis done without interference, confusion, or delay.

' -The described plant makes possible the continuous production for 24 hours a day of cast iron pipe cast horizontally, and results man outputfar ,exceeding anything previouslyvknown or thought possible with like equipment, and hence in materially lowering the cost of production.

Obviously the invention is not limited to the illustrative embodiment of a plant-here' in shown and described, or to the production of cast ironpipe, as similar articles may be llO manufactured by the same method: and with the same general arrangementof-equipment.

Aat

What I claim is zl. A process of manufacturing cast iron pipe and the like by the horizontal method, characterized by the converging, Vat a point adj acent to a supply of molten metal, of the three necessary elements of Viinished pipe molds, namely, flasks, sand and cores; and

the diverging ofy these three elements for4 reconditioning; each Yelement moving in its own path up to approximately :the ,point of assembling so as not to interfere at any time with the movement of other elements.

'2. A process of manufacturing cast iron Vp'i-pe and thelike by the horizontal method, characterized by bringing 'together a ,plu-

.rality -of finished pipe molds; vpouring the molds; separating `the component elements ofthe molds and conveying'them in different non-conflicting paths; reconditioning the elements at points in their paths; reassembling them to produce other finished molds;

fand repeating the cycle ofoperations.

3. A process of manufacturing cast iron pipe rand ,the like bythe horizontal method characterized by'pouring a plurality oflinished -pipe molds; separating the cast pipes containing 'the core `bars from the flasks;

shaking out 4the vflasks; conveying the three elements, namely, the'pipes with the 'core bars, the flasks and zthe sand in separate,

closed, non-conflicting paths; reconditioning the component parts of the molds :at points in their paths; said paths converging `to a common. assembling zone; said elements fhaving a common path from the assembling zone to the pouring zoncf; and-repeatingthe ycycle of operations. Y a

4. A method ofmanufacturing cast siron pipe and the like by 'the horizontal method,

characterized by bringing together .and 1assembling the elements which make up 'fthe molds; conveying the finished molds progressively to a pouring zone; pouring the molds;

removing the castings; shaking Vdo-.wn the Y of'V operations.

molds; conveying `the component elements of the molds in separate, non-conflicting paths which converge at the assembling zone; mechanically reconditioning said. elements and reassemblin'the elements lto repeat the cycle 5. A method'of handling poured cast iron pipe molds which comprises separating the component elements, namely" the flasks, 'thesand and the cores; conveying said elements to separate points without conflicting with each other; reconditioning 'the elements at said points; bringing them'` together without conflict and reassembling them'to' produce finished new molds; transferring the new molds to a pouring zone; pouring said molds; and repeating lthe cycle of operations.

l6. A plant :for manufacturing ,cast iron pipe andthe like-bythe horizontal method,

comprising, -in combination, 'three independently operated traversing carriers located in the flask raniming, assembling and casting zones, so as to move the elements which make up the molds and the completedmolds substantially continuously and progressively in a path which leads to the casting zone; said zones being of suchareas and arrangement, Y

andthe carriers being so disposed and operated that the work is divided between them, keeping all three of them busy substantially all the time, without interference and'without retrogressive movement of the mold elements.

`7. A plant for manufacturing cast iron pipe and the like by the horizontal method,

characterized b-y a sy .chronizatio-n and coordination of movement of'and division of work between .two independently operatedtraversing carriers located and operating in zthe .flask ramming, assembling and casting zones, so as to move the elements which 4make up Vthe molds and the completed kmolds substantially continuously and progressively vin a path which leads to thecasting zone; one

of' said carriers handling'the copesand drags between the ramming zone andthe assembling zone; the other carrier conveying rthe flasks from the assembling zone to the casting zone and assisting inthe castingof the metal and conveying ,the pipes a-ndcore bars `away from 'theflasks and also conveying `the flasks to the shake-out stations; either vvcarrier conveyingithe cores -to the assembling l l O of said carriers handlingthe copes and drags between the rammingl lzone and `the assem? V.bling zone; a'second carrier conveying the coresto the assembling zone andthe com- 'p'letedflasksto the casting zone; and a third carrier casting the metal 'and conveying the .flasks to the shake-out station.

9. A plant 'for manufacturing Acast iron pipeand the like by the horizontal method, characterized b-y the synchronization and coordination of'movement of and division of Work between yfour independently operated traversing carriers located'and operating in .the flaskframming; assembling and casting zones,so as to move the elements which make up the molds and the completed molds sub-V stantially continuouslyV and progressively in a pathwhich'leads to the casting zone, oneof said carriers handling the lcopes and drags Sx.. ai

CII

:baihandling zone on;the other side'oftheasi `sembling zone; two traveling cranesinthe lassemblingrzone for liandlingtheflasks and :the cores; a source -ofmolten metalat the machine.

,18. A plant for inanufacturingcast iron -pipe and the like horizontally, comprising, in

combination, a ,building providing threev Zones or areas ,the Liirst,.main zone vor'area being equipped Withlmeansfor conveyingflasks, means for conveying corev bars, means for conveying -molten metal, means for -ramming flasks, means for making or'assembling cores, means for shaking' outflasks, means for con lveying pipes Y containing core bars, and a ,source of-molten metal Within reachof :the metal conveying means; second zone or area being equipped With sand conditioning and sand handling machinery, `and means for conveying sand from the firstrto the seCOndZOne; and third zone oriarea equipped With means for conveying pipe and core bars, `means i'or separating pipe Jfrom the core bars, means foi-.straightening core bars, and meansfor-returning core bars to thecore machine.

Y 19. A plant of the characterdescribed @eine -prising, Ain combination, a pair oframming machinesplaced end toend; a craneforeserving the `two ramining machines; a core-malring machine delivering cores'into -the .area over Which said crane operates; acranesfor carrying the cores from Vsaid machine to ythe mold assembling station and alsofor carrying thecompleted molds to the casting station; .and althird cra-ne for conducting the hot metal over the completed molds and-feasting the same, andfor shaking'out-the lasksfafter casting. y l l v y 20. A plant of the'character` described cemprising, in combination, a .pair of ,rainn'iing machines vplaced endvto end acra-neforserving the two ramining machines 5a core-making machine delivering cores intothe area over Whichsaid crane operates.; acrane i'foi' carrying the cores from said machine ltoi-the'mold assembling station and also for carrying the completed molds., to vthe casting station.; Ya third crane for conducting thehot metal over the completed molds and casting the saine, and for sharing out the flasks aftercasting; a sand supply biii;'a sand conveyor returning l sand from the point Where the Yflasks are shaken out tothe supply bin; meansin the path of said sandconveyor for reconditioning the .sa-nd', fand a conveyor leading from the supplyibin to the service bins of'both ramming machines; the return sand conveyo-r running substantially parallel sto the kdirec- Y tion iin iv ich the inoldsmove, but locatedxin faidiierent area andimoving in ithefopposite direction.

'21. VAiplaiit of the character` describedfcoin-Y risin in combination a. air cfframininfr 9 7 o carrying .the cores from said machine-toithe moldiassembliiig station andalso/for carriying the completed moldsjto the castingfstat'ioiiya. thirdacranefor conducting lthe' hot metalover the completed .molds andV casting"therisame, Vand forshaking out thefflaslrs aiiter ycast-ing; a pipe carriage .fordraWing-the pipes favith the core bars therein; azconveyor for-carry ving the pipes with the core barsfto a bar.l pulling station.; mechanism Ifor pulling the .core bars g :a guiding Vsupport `lforrthe :core vbars to roll over on their return :to-the core machine;v

andmea-ns in thefpathfzof thecorebars `fori-e conditioning them. .22. A Yplant `of :the character described comprising, in combination, Va pair-of zramming machines placed fend to end-g za. `crane Y for serving the tvvo framiningl machines; a

core making :machine ydelivering cores finto thearea over 'which :said crane oieratesf;` a crane for carrying thecores from `sa1dfinachine to the .finold assembling station-and also for carrying the .completed :molds to'thercast'- 4ingstation; athird crane Jfor conducting the hot l.metal over .-thecompleted lmold-s andrcasting thesame, and forshakingaoutthe-'flasks after casting; a pipe carriage :for -dra`vving the pipes With the-:core .bars therein.; a conveyor fory Vcarrying the pipes with the 'core bars to a bar ,pullingfstation ;Vmechanism :Eor

pulling thecorebars; fa guiding support fior the core 'bars to rollover on 'it-heir return to the -core .ma-chine; means in the A:path rof'sthe core bars for reconditioning. them; vaf sand supply bin-.ya -sandv conveyor returningsand from .the vpoi-'nt"WheretheY 4flasks are shaken out to the supply :bin ;1means in the pathqof said `sand conveyor for reconditioningV the sand i and a :conveyor leading fromthe sup- ;ply bin to the service Vbins ofi-,both ramming machines the :return lsand conveyor Arunning substantially :parallel tov the direction `in .Whichthe moldsfrnoveybut located `in a'difer- ,gent :area and -moviii'g i in the `opposite `direc- .i-OIL n i Y Q23. A plantof the"character described comprising, .in -combinatioma core 4making machine :open :through Rthe middle to permit core bars to enterlaterally roin'onev side.,'and after` formation oit' the 4cores,`to Eemergefrom .the-otherSide; a run orfthefc'orebars leadvin gto theentrance-side of thezcore machine;

ico

' said crane operates; a second crane for-conand a conveyoroperating toward and from the machine in the assembling zone, and to conduct the. cores to the flasks.

,24A plant ofthe character described comprising, in combination, a core making machine open through the iniddleerto permit core bars to enter laterally from one side, and after formation of the cores, to emerge from the other side; a run for the core bars leading to the entrance side of the core machine; a run for storage of the Ycore bars kextending in the line of the first named run but dis'-` posed b'eyond-the opposite end of the core machine and leading thereto; and a lateralV run for feeding core bars from the longitudinal run on either side into the machine.

' 25. A plant of the character described comprising, in combination, a core-making machine open through the middle to permit core bars to enter laterally from one side,

- operating overall three of said runs; and a conveyor in the assembling zone and operating toward and from the machine to conduct the cores to Athe-flasks. 4

26. A plant for manufacturing cast iron pipe VV'and the like, horizontally comprising, in combination, a crane runway; two cranes in said runway; one crane for conveying flasks to the ramming zone, andV from the .ramming -Zone to thelassembling Zone and for setting cores;a'secon'd crane for conveying the completed flasks from the assembling Yzone to the casting and shake-out zone and for conveying hot metal to the flasks and shaking out the-flasks; the last, mentioned cranelhaving an auxiliary hoist adapted' to lift both ends of a load simultaneously.

mingv machinesplaced end ,-to end; a crane delivering cores into the area over which .veying the completed molds to the casting station, and for conducting the hot 'metal Y overY the completed molds and casting same,

and for shaking out the flasks after casting; a pipe carriage for drawing the pipe with the core bars therein; a conveyor for carrying the pipe with the core bars to` abar pulling station;-meclianism forV pulling the coreV bars;

`V`Aa guiding support for thecore bars to roll on and returnV to the core machine; means in v,the path ofthe core-bars'forreconditioning them, a sand supply bin; a sand conveyor returning sand from the pointwhere the flasks are shaken out to the supply bin; means in the path of said sand conveyorfor reconditioning the sand; anda conveyor returning from the supply bins to service bins of both ramming maehines,`the return sand conveyor running substantially parallelin the direction in which the molds move, but located in a differentarea and moving in the opposite direction.

28. A plant of the character described comprising, in combination,a ramming` machine .a supply of Vmolten metal located a considerable distance from 'the rammingfmachine;

:a carrier for feeding empty copes and drags to, andconveying rammed copes and drags away from, said ramming machine; a machine for forming cores on core bars, located near the ramming machine but with a space between for free passage' of the copes and drags and the core ;V the plant having an area suficient for the reception of a multiplicity of flask sections, and which is soy located that ythe core forming machine is between said area and the ramming machine; a carrier for moving the complete flasks toward the supply of molten metal; the plant also having an area for-containing a plurality of com-4 plete flasks for the pouring operation; means for lconveying metal from said supply for pouring into the flasks; a shake-out machine near the area where the pouring takes place; Y

pipe-and-,core-bary withdrawing means also near said area, but on the other side; means forseparating the core bars from the pipe; means for conveying the core 'bars and pipe to said separating means; means for conveying the core' bars to the core making machine; means for conveying sand away from the shake-out machine; means for re-co'nditioning the sand; means-for conveying the reconditioned sand to the ramming machine; and vmeans for conveying the copes and drags, after `being shaken fout, to'points ne'ar the carrierwhich' feeds them to the ramming machin'e. A 27.` A plantk of the characterdescribed,v c

coniprising;in combination, a pair -of ram-V 2931AV plant Vof .the character describe-id comprising, in combination, a pair of ram- `ming machines located neareach other; a for, servingthe two ramming machines and v for setting cores;` a core making 'machine supplyfof*molten metal located Va consider- Aable distance from thev `ramming machine;

`m`achine locatedV near theVV assemblingv Zone and so arranged as' to deliverthe coresfwitliin reach of thesecond crane;the plant having a sullicientarea in the assembling` zone and between said zone and the supply of metalto permit' continual assembling of flask members and continual moving of the com-k v plete-flasks toward the supply ofmetal said in ladles to the flasks for pouring; a shakethird crane may conduct the copes and drags to it; a conveyor for moving the empty copes and drags back, without interference with forward movement of the flask parts, to points near the rammingmachines, 'where .the iirst crane may reach them; means for' drawing the pipes with the core lbars 0E the drags, after casting; means for separating the core bars from the pipes; means for conveying the core bars back to the core machine; means for reconditioning the sand dropped in the shake-out; and means for' returning the reconditioned sand to the ramming machines.

80. A plant of the character described zfcomprising, in combination, a pair of ramming machines located near each other; a supply of molten metal located a considerable distance from the ramming machine; a crane for feeding empty copes to one of the ramming machines and empty drags to the other ramming machine, and for conveying rammed copes and drags to an assembling zone; a second crane; a core making machine located near the assembling zone and so arranged as to deliver the cores within reach of the second crane; the plant having a suiicient area in the assembling zone and between said zone and the supply of metal to permit continual assembling of flask members and continual moving of the complete flasks toward the supply of metal; said second crane traveling over said area and handling the complete flasks as well as the cores; a third crane. for conveying the molten metal out near the pouring zone sc that the third crane may conduct the copes and drags to it; a conveyor for moving the empty copes and drags back, without interference with forward movement of the flask parts, to points where the first crane may reach them; means for cooling the drags on their way back to the ramming machine; means for drawing the pipes with the core bars off the drags, after casting; means for sepa-rating the core bars from the pipes; means :for conveying the core bars back to the core machines; means for straightening such core bars as are warped by the heat, on their return trip `to the core machine; means for reconditioning the sand dropped in the shake-out; and means for returning the reconditioned sand Y to the ramming machines.

31. A plant of the character described comprising, in combination, a ramming maarea therebetween for the assembly and conveyance of the flask elements and for the pouring of the metal; conveyors for the flask elements and for the metal; the part-s being so arranged'that the drags and copes are first rammed and then moved straight up the aisle for assembling, and the core bars follow the drags and precede the copes; one of the conveyors being so constructed and arranged as to move the completed flasks l straight up the aisle to a position .near the supply of metal, for casting; a shake-out machine to one side ofl the casting Zone; a pipeand-core-bar withdrawing mechanism on the other side of the casting Zone; a conveyor for the copes and drags leading from the shake-out back to a point near the ramming machine, said conveyor moving the copes and drags back in a substantially straight line path parallel to the path of the flask elements up the main aisle; the two paths aforesaid being alongside each other but non-interfering so that free movement each way ishad, with a minimum distance traversed; the plant having an aisle or area on the same side as the pipe-and-core-bar withdrawing mechanism and being adjacent to the main aisle; a conveyoijworking in the aisle last-mentioned and conducting the pipes and core bars Vin substantially straight paths, in a direction opposite to that in which the flask elements move; Vmeans located near the end of the last-mentioned aisle for separating the core bars fromy the plates; the last-inentioned aisle having provision for the return move- Ament of the core bars, upl to core making thus being moved a minimum distance in view of the eXigencies of the process of manufacture. l

82. A plant of the character described comprising, in combination a ramming machine; a core making'machine; a supply of molten metal located a considerable distance from the ramming machinel with an aisle or area therebetween for the assembly and conveyance of the flask elements and for the pouring of the metal; conveyors for the flask elements and for the metal; the parts being so arranged that the -drags and copes are firstrammed and then moved straight up the aisle for assembling, and the core bars follow the drags and precede the copes; one

of the conveyors being so constructed and arranged vas -to move the completed ilasks straight up the aisle to a position near the supply of metal, for casting; a shake-out machine to one side of the casting Zone; a pipe-and-core-bar withdrawing mechanism on the other side of the casting Zone; a conveyor for the copes and drags leading from thesha-ke-out back to a point near the ram-` nnng machine, said` conveyor moving the copes and drags back 1n a. substantially straight line path parallel to the path of thev flask elements up the main aisle; the tWo paths aforesaid being alongside each other but non-interfering so that free movement each Way is had, With a minimum distance Ytraversed; sand conveying means leading from the shake-out `to the ramming machine; sand re-conditionmg apparatus interposed in the return path ofthe sand; said sand conveyor and reconditioning apparatus being located alongside of the main aisle on the same side as the shake-out, and spaced'only a short distance from the main aisleeso as to transport the sand a minimum distance from the minimum equipment; the, plant having an aisle or areaon the same sid-e as the pipe-and-core-bar withdrawing mechanism and being adjacent to the main aisle, a conveyor .Working in the aisle last-mentioned and conducting theV pipes and core bars in substantially straight paths, in a. Ydirection opposite to that in Which'the flask elements move; means located near the end of the last-mentioned aisle for sepa-rating the core bars from the pipes; the last-mentioned aisle -k having provision for the return movement of methody which consists in rainmingthe flask;

sections in a certain zone or area of the plant; simultaneously forming the cores; conveying the rammed flask sections to lanot-her Zone or area and there assembling them With the cores; conveying the complete flasks to a zone or area relatively near to the supply of molten iron; pouring the metal; immediately therei after removing the copes so that the copes do not become excessively hot and hence may be rammed again shortly Without artificial cooling; removing the pipes With the cores therein as soon as the temperature thereof there assembling them vviththe cores; convey"-l l ing the complete flasks to a. zone or area relatively near to the supply of molten iron pouring the metal; immediately thereafter, removing the copes so that the copes d0 not become excessively hot; removing the pipes With the cores therein as soon as the temperature thereof has fallen to a point permitting'` such removal Without injury; conveying the copes after removal to a shank-out device to rid them of their sand; then conveying the empty-copes back to the ramming zone; conveying the drags, after removal of the pipes and cores, to a shake-out device; cooling the drags after shaking out, and conveying them to the ramming zone.

35. That process of continuously making east iron pipe and the like by the horizontalV sections in a certain zone or area of the plant; forming the cores; conveying the rammed flask sections to another zone ori area and there assembling them with the cores; conveying the complete liasks to a zone or area relatively near-to the supply of molten iron; pouring the metal; immediately thereafter removing the copes so that the copes do not become excessivelyV hot; removing the pipes with the cores therein as soon as the temperature thereof has fallen to a point permit-ting such removal Without injury; conveying the copes after removal to a shake-out device to rid them of their sand then conveying the empty copes back to the ramming zone; conveying the drags, after removal of the pipes and cores, lto a shake-out device; cooling the drags after shaking out, and conveying them to the ramming zone; conveying the pipes With the core bars therein away from the pouring Zone, simultaneously With the conveyance of the copes and drags; separating the core'bars from the pipes; returning the core bars to the assembling Zone for resoA Vmethod Which consists in ramming the flask use; collecting the sand from the shake-out;

reconditioning said sand; and returning the same to the ramming zone for re-vuse.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature.

JAMES R, MCMUXNE` has fallen to a point permitting` such removal Without injury to the pipes; and promptly conveying the copes, drags, core bars and pipes away for further processes, thus making room in the casting zone for additional flasks. Y

34. That process of continuously making cast iron pipe and the like by the horizontal method which consists in ramming the fla-sk sections in a certain zone or area of the plant; forming the cores; conveying t-he Vrammed flask sections to another zone or area and IIb 

